I Think I Picked the Wrong Department
I think I picked the wrong department after all. Crack! The crystal orb that had been chattering away noisily just moments ago was now lying quietly on the floor, shattered into pieces of glass.
"...Phew."
The silence felt refreshing. Until a moment ago, it had been sparkling on my hand, babbling nonsense about genius this and talent that, completely distracting everyone. This was way better.
The problem was...
— "Hey, hey, is that okay?"
— "Isn't that a mistake?"
— "That's Ian for you."
Murmur, murmur.
— "Even so, that's the Mage Tower Master's equipment?"
— "That's the evaluation orb, right?"
— "It looks super expensive."
— "His life's totally screwed now."
Everyone was worrying about me in his place. Or was it more like mocking?
Sorry to disappoint. This crystal orb was meant to be broken. It was straight out of the original story, after all.
In the Golden Chains episode where Saintess Arina visits the Mage Tower, she ends up smashing an entire shelf. And right then, these exact 'evaluation crystal orbs' shattered in a pile.
Readers were all like, Whoa, doesn't one of those cost like a whole house?
The Mage Tower Master examined Arina's injury with a serious face and said,
— That stuff's worth less than a single drop of your blood.
A romantic scene revealing the Tower Master's hidden affection for the damsel-in-distress heroine.
How's that romantic? ...Yeah, fair point. But we always have to consider the Tower Master's fucked-up personality.
Not my taste, anyway.
Thanks to that scene, I knew the truth. Crystal orbs were mass-produced junk. Sure, glass was valuable in this world, so they cost a bit. But only "a bit expensive"—nothing more.
What spoke from inside wasn't the orb itself, but some formless intelligence planted by the Tower Master. Like an AI, basically.
Price tag's about... 1 million krone, right? Pretty pricey. But not unpayable.
1. Grind through all-nighters shedding bloody tears to pay off 1 million krone.
2. Get my insane talent exposed and get kidnapped by the Tower Master for 20 years of mage(stone) life.
No-brainer: Option 1.
I slowly raised my head.
On the platform.
"......."
The white-haired Mage Tower Master stared down at me without a word. That innate arrogance unique to geniuses radiated off him even in silence. And that annoyingly handsome face.
I figured he'd furrow his brow, get mad, or look away any second.
...Huh?
But why was he staring so intently? Was this some cherished pet orb of his? The vibe felt off.
He gazed at me for a while, then slowly shifted his eyes to the shattered orb.
Come on, do something! Yell at me! Pity me! Why the blank face?!
Ah. Did he want an apology? Not his style, though...
Still, I should apologize. Even in this noble-centric world with its absurd "boldness wins" etiquette, I was raised with proper Korean manners as an enlightened human.
The moment I started to bow my head.
— Whoosh.
The Tower Master's head turned away. And that was it—no other reaction.
...I'm safe.
His eyes shaking violently as he ignored me? Must've been my imagination.
The Tower Master was just a sub-male lead, obsessed with the heroine's talent, after all.
◆ Art Department Head Lucy Blossom Everpink was in utter despair today, as usual.
Another bust. The crown prince would obviously head to the Swordsmanship Department, like every emperor before him. The Saintess to the Magic Department, naturally. Noblewomen and noble heirs to Administration. And top scorers to Academics.
So the Art Department? Zero applicants so far. Not even a single examinee.
"Ughhh..."
Just thinking of zero made her stomach ache. Zero! Zeros floated around the head, then burst.
A mystical mana flicker, but zero interest.
"Zero again."
Thud, thud, thud. Tears pooled in the shape of zeros at her eyes as she banged her head on the desk.
Who'd come to the Imperial Academy just to study art, anyway? Art was just entertainment to please nobles—nothing more, nothing less!
"...Hic."
The university chancellor's smiling words echoed.
— If we get zero freshmen again, the Art Department gets disbanded.
N-No! The emperor granted her the Everpink name to lead the department well— she couldn't let it vanish!
"E-Exec... Ex... Exe-cution..."
Execution. Absolutely execution.
Lucy shot to her feet. Right! She'd snag at least one somehow! Those poor juniors waiting over a year deserved a taste of sweet newbie life too!
Then.
— "Next. Ian Ashy."
The troublemaker kid some students whispered about stepped to the center.
Ashy Barony's second son, always causing issues, got readmitted after expulsion. Troublemaker for sure, but Lucy's eyes were elsewhere.
...Who made those clothes? Stripped of all decoration, yet so elegant and beautiful.
Lucy's eyes sparkled. And his face wasn't bad either. Pale skin, dark circles, but that vibe—edgy yet with the shameless aura of someone with nothing to lose etched on his face.
He'd be great in theater.
Will he... come to us?
A tiny hope flickered.
— Flash!
The Magic Department's orb blazed brilliantly. Then, startled by the light, someone dropped it.
Crack—! It shattered.
"...Huh?"
Lucy Blossom's eyes widened. That orb had shone insanely bright, right?
Overwhelming talent. As the Tower Master's rival, she knew it. That kid's magical aptitude was overwhelming.
If she wasn't mistaken, he might even surpass—
Me or the Tower Master?
Awe hit first. Then reality slapped her.
Wait. Then the Tower Master will snatch him.
She glanced desperately at the platform. Her longtime rival. Young genius. Now Tower Master and Magic Department head.
He just stared down blankly. With an unprecedented seriousness.
Shocking. She'd only seen that face on top-grade magic stones.
So Lucy intuited: Ian would be impossible to recruit. Art Department might end this year.
But.
The boy walked.
Step. Step.
Passing Swordsmanship, Administration, Academics. Without the slightest hesitation.
Straight to the Art Department booth.
"...Eh?"
The Art Department head jolted up unconsciously.
Thump-thump. Her heart raced. Seeing the boy right in front of her, she thought,
S-Surely? Choosing worthless me? The Art Department?
"I-I'm enrolling in the Art Department."
"...Huh?"
Too shocked to even repeat it. The world had gone mad. Or she'd pulled all-nighters and was hallucinating.
The top talent in this exam choosing Art? A dream. With one ace, droves of students transferred before.
Lucy yanked out papers. "S-Sign... h-here, p-please sign."
But he continued calmly. "One condition, though."
"C-Condition...?"
He pointed behind him. At the shattered Magic Department orb pieces.
"Could you cover the cost of that orb for me?"
"...Eh?"
The Art Department head's pupils shook.
◆ The Art Department head introduced herself as Lucy Blossom Mega-something Everpink. I only caught up to Lucy. The Art Department building she showed me was in dire straits.
— Whoooosh.
A detached annex far from the main academy building. In the most remote corner. A building sat alone in a spot even ghosts would ignore.
"...The location's very artistic."
"R-Right? I-Independent, great for contemplation, and above all quiet—worst, no! B-Best!"
"Your true feelings slipped at the end there."
"N-No way."
Lucy smiled awkwardly and opened the creaky entrance door.
Creeeak—
Inside, old paint and wood scents mixed. She spread her arms like showing off a treasure.
"As you see. Y-Yeah. A building steeped in t-tradition?"
"In other words, rundown."
Come on, Head. Don't pretend you didn't hear. Your ears are red?
"Our building's eco-friendly, so when it rains, watch the ceiling and floor carefully."
"Pardon?"
"The corridor edge suddenly—whoosh!—gives way!"
The corridor groaned and collapsed, plunging the head into the floor.
"Kyaaak!"
Whoa. This wasn't a building—it was a trap. How broke were they for the main department building to be like this?
"Sorry, Head. Looks like I picked the wrong department."
"N-No, no, no! J-Just here. My fault. I'll f-fix it. D-Don't abandon me."
Suddenly, Lucy clung desperately. Instinct screamed: Run!
But.
"Hic... hiiing."
Tears welling in her eyes froze my feet. Not because other departments meant—
1. Swordsmanship: Obsessive yandere crown prince.
2. Magic: Heroine saintess I used as my ero-manga model.
3. Administration: Villainess Judith.
4. Academics: Transmigrator threatening with flashy sword aura—
Just because I'm a polite Korean who respects elders and cares for the weak.
I'm too nice for my own good.
"Heave-ho."
A little tug pulled Lucy from the floor like a feather. She immediately latched onto my leg.
"Y-You're not going elsewhere, right? D-Did I do something wrong again? I'll do anything. We promised—together forever, don't leave me. I'll be really good from now on, so don't go?"
...I think I really picked the wrong department.